


For love of water, for love of air.

by Justanothersinger



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: M/M, and craving this ship harder, have fun reading!, hell im p hungry now anyway, im proud of this one, me playing too many dating sims, not reading the manga for awhile, than chocolate fudge brownies, the result of a prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-13
Updated: 2016-04-13
Packaged: 2018-06-02 02:40:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6547315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Justanothersinger/pseuds/Justanothersinger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'They’d met when they were children on a hot summer’s day. Tanuma still remembers that day well. </p><p> </p><p>The sun beating down on his back and sweat on his neck. Dragonflies on a string and mud on his feet. </p><p>And then, a child sitting on the lid of the closed well.'</p><p>Tanunatsu, Yokai!Natsume AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	For love of water, for love of air.

For love of water, for love of air. 

A Natsume Yuujinchou fanfiction

 

For this, there was no other way around it. 

Tanuma understood that and understood that fairly well. Fairly. He wasn’t all too sure of the specifics of demon society rules, to be completely honest. 

Although, he supposed that he should be by now. 

“Tanuma?” 

“I’m still here. Don’t worry.” Tanuma says and he attempts a smile. He doesn’t feel like it. 

Even now, Natsume’s voice is still wavery and weak. 

 

And it’s all Tanuma can do to not meet his eyes. 

 

He expected as much. He’d anticipated this situation for so long that it’s almost not even as awkward as he envisioned. 

Almost. 

If he focused on concern, it’d be easier for them to pass through the night without event.

 

“How do you feel, Natsume?” Tanuma asks. Natsume moves a bit then and the paper charm slides a bit off of his face. 

Tanuma quickly looks away. 

“I’m fine.” Natsume says, and it’s his feeble attempt of a lie. A sigh from Tanuma has him hastily backtracking, “…Not too good. But I’m…I’m fine. I can handle this.” 

It’d be harder for him to lie if Natsume could meet his eyes. 

 

Tanuma leans back against the wall. 

They’d met when they were children on a hot summer’s day. Tanuma still remembers that day well. 

 

The sun beating down on his back and sweat on his neck. Dragonflies on a string and mud on his feet. 

And then, a child sitting on the lid of the closed well. Slit pupils for his eyes and the sun gleaming off of the gleaming ritual jewels draped on his antlers. 

 

Being friends with a river spirit had left a larger impact on his life than he would have liked. But he wouldn’t give up his friendship with Natsume for the world. 

He thinks this again as he straightens the paper charm on Natsume’s face. 

 

His cheeks are warm. 

 

“You…shouldn’t be here, Tanuma.” Natsume manages, “Let me call grandmother, she should…!” 

“Don’t move!” 

Their hands brush and Tanuma stiffens as he feels a sudden, sinking sensation. 

  
Water in his lungs, the sweetness of the spring on his tongue. A strong scent of incense. 

He valued Natsume’s friendship over everything.

 

He didn’t want to lose it for something as asinine as the throes of a mating season. 

When he touches Natsume’s forehead, he ignores the way Natsume bites his lip. Suppressing a gasp. 

“You shouldn’t be here…”

“But I’ll stay here, regardless of what you think.” 

 

He brushes Natsume’s cheeks again. Almost touches his lips. 

Natsume had a beautiful smile. 

If Tanuma was the cause of its loss, he would never forgive himself. 

 

“You’d asked for me, didn’t you?” Tanuma asks. Carefully. Gently. Natsume’s hand found his and squeezed it gently.

Even like this, in this state, all Natsume desired was his company. Nothing more. 

“I’ll stay beside you until it passes.” 

 

And Natsume relaxes, slowly, a whimper as he shifts his position. 

Tanuma closes his eyes and ignores the frantic, rapid beating of his heart and the feeling of drowning. 

No. Not now. Not ever. 

 

Natsume’s hand clenches his.

“Tanuma?” 

“Mm?” 

 

“I’m sorry.” 

Before Tanuma could ask why, he feels it. 

A hand sliding up his arm. 

 

He’s pushed to the floor, a warm body on his. 

“...!”

“Sorry.” Natsume whispers again and he sounds so torn, heartbroken and he leans in. 

Presses his lips against Tanuma’s, cold and unmoving. 

 

Electricity running through his veins.

The markings. The spiritual markings, crawling up his skin. 

Marking him as...!

“No...!”

 

He tries to push Natsume away and the charm falls off during the struggle. 

And Tanuma sees Natsume’s eyes.

And stops. 

 

Even now, this many years later, he’s mesmerized by the fire in those eyes. 

 

“I’m sorry, Tanuma.” 

He could barely muster up a response before Natsume kisses him again.

What was he fighting for? 

That smile...it was nowhere to be seen. 

 

Was he the reason? 

And then and there, the last of his resolve crumbles. 

 

Natsume’s hair is so, so soft. Softer than he’d realized. 

Tanuma’s fingers sift through Natsume’s hair, tilts his face up as he kisses back. 

His skin prickles once again as the magic marks him. As Natsume’s. 

 

And he breathes in. Closes his eyes. 

The water laps away at his mind. 

And he loses control of his body. 

**Author's Note:**

> Songs used for inspiration:
> 
> One Me, Two Hearts-Divine Gate OP  
> Kami-sama no Ie Torii-Youjouhan Shinwa Taikai OP  
> Finale-Hustle Cat OST  
> Dream-Hustle Cat OST


End file.
